Letter: Curbed cars? Dream on

BEN PLOWDEN of the Pedestrian's Association says that the roads programme has been largely abandoned and he proposes pro-pedestrian measures ("The car can be curbed", 29 November).

Plowden is a victim of spinning by John Prescott's Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. In the summer, Prescott listed the 156 road schemes, costing some pounds 10,000m, which he had taken over from the Major administration. His spinners split the schemes into nine lists, some with more priority than others. Not a single road was scrapped.

More recently the DETR announced that the whole of the A13 and the A40, coming right into the heart of London, would be made into six-lane super- highways. And not a penny has been put on the tax paid by company car users (derisory) and company parking space users (zero).

People will continue to use cars because the DETR spend billions each year on making their use more pleasant and cheaper. As long as that continues, Plowden's pro-pedestrian schemes are fantasy.

GEORGE STERN

London N6